Process for regenerating vulcanized rubber and the like.



' fiuenced by subjecting the heated mass, that is to say the mass brought to the appropriate %TATE% BERNABDUS JOHANNES FRANCISCUS VABENHQELST, 0F HAGUE, AND 313F111 GERARD FOL, OF DELFT, NETHEELMTDS.

PROCESS FOR REGENERATING VULGANIZED RUBBER AND No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, .BERNARDUS J o- HANNES FRANCISCUS VARENHORST, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, and residing at 25 Jacob Gillesstraat, The Hague, in

the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and JEAN GERARD FOL, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, and residing at 7 9 ()ude Delft, Delft, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Regenerating Vulcanized Rubber and the like, dfwhich the following is a full, clear l and exact description.

The subject of the present invention is-ia' process for the regeneration of vulcanized rubber, soft rubber, ebonite, gutta, percha, and the like.

The characteristic feature of "the process consists in the fact that the bodies to be regenerated are treated under two conditions, that is to say: I, the mass is subjected-to direct heating, and, II, this heating is effected, either by treating the mass in Macao, or

' instead of the vacuum by exposing themass to the influence of inert gases.

The process, therefore, may be carried out according to two fundamental methods: either (a) heating the mass oacuo, or (b) heating the mass in the presence of inert gases.

By this process a product of high value is obtained.

According to the nature ,and constitution' of themass to be regenerated,.the heating may be carried-right up to the limit short of melting, but it is characteristic of the.

The regenerating process 'may be intemperature, to a sudden cooling, by subecting 1t to the sudden action of cold water or otherfiuids which are adapted to exercise a cooling action on the mass, as for example soda solution, lyre. or the like.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented se a'ie, rare.

Application filed May 4, 1914. Serial No. 836,342.

According to the nature of the material a greater or smaller arrest of the course of the process is brought about by this sudden cooling, whereby the physical properties of the material are improved, an easily workable product being obtained. The sudden cooling of the heated mass serves at the same time to prevent the occurrence of'inelting.

l Ve Will now describe an'exaniple of the practical working of the process.

The old used rubber articles are, if necessary, first washed and then. ground" up small. The ground-up rubber is if necessary boiled in a soda solution or lye. The material treated in this manner is treated (depolymerized) by heating in mono or in an atmosphere of inert gases (carbon ,dioxid, nitrogen, or the" like), it being necessary carefully to avoid a melting'of the mass. Then a sufficient degree of depolvmerizing has been attained the mass is rapidly cooled,

by turning it out into cold water, for; example, after which the mass is allowed to dry in a suitable manner, in came for example, and is then rolled out in the usual manner or otherwise formed. Where neces sary the 'mass may be still further cleaned by boiling it with a soda or lye solution, and

afterward drying in cacao and further treating by rolling.

By the term fVLllCflIllZGCl rubber used in the claim, we mean not only vulcanized rubber,

but soft rubber, ebonite, gutta-percha and like materials; and the term alkaline solutions is used to include solutions of soda, caustic soda, or other equivalent solutions.

What we claim is:

The process of regenerating vulcanized rubber which consists in connninuting the material, boiling it in an alkaline solution, and heating the entire nurse of material in an atmosphere of inert gas to a temperature approximating but short of the meltingpoint, and continuously stirring the mass.

In testimony whereof We aflin. our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

. BERNAREUS JOHANNES V FRANCISCUS VARENHORSTJ JEAN stair-n FOL.

lVitnesses: 1

Pmmrrm Josnrii Hon, I. I. lliinsoon REX. 

